Here are a couple of shots from my album.The engine shot was taken several years ago at the fuel pad in Elkhart,Indiana.The ignorant "taggers" riuned a beautiful locomotive.When was the smaller logo applied to their diesel units?
Small Lettering IIRC, The small lettering on the side was the same for all non-cowl freight units delivered up to the GP35s (livery still survives on W&LE GP35 3045). Ah, found something here. According to Utahrails.net, Beginning in 1968, on either new units or on most repainted units, the Rio Grande lettering was made larger, with the Rio made 24 inches high, and Grande made 60 inches high. This later scheme included a black rectangle on the nose of the unit, with a flying Rio Grande lettered in Aspen Gold on the black rectangle. (D&RGW 5333 was reversed, with black Rio Grande on an Aspen Gold background.) Visit their site for specifics on repaints and which units received what paint scheme. :tb-nerd:
John Barnhill has a lot of D&RGW pix in his site Nor-Cal Espee Connection. ncespee.railfan.net and go to the D&RGW Photo Roster page.
Sorry guys,that's the only DRGW unit I've ever actually seen in person,and I did have my camera (luck is on our side sometimes!).Thanks to all for the kind words and info,it is appreciated.
When was the smaller logo applied to their diesel units? 1967, when the unit was built. All the second generation diesels received the small lettering. until 3081, delivered in October 1969, the first unit delivered new from the factory with the large lettering. SD45s had the "stacked" Rio Grande in 1968, but these were repainted to better show the roadname when on the Kaisser Steel trains with the UP power. GP35 3048 was the only GP35 to receive the billboard lettering. There were a few units that were damaged and received the billboard lettering after repairs were made. All the GP40-2s and the SD40T-2s were delivered in the billboard lettering. The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad purchased a total of 26 SD45's from EMD in two orders. The first was for ten in 1967, numbered from 5315 to 5324. These were delivered with the small lettering. These first ten were also delivered with the low mount brakes on the trucks. The second order, delivered in 1968, numbered 16 units, 5325 to 5340. These were also delivered in the small lettering, and hight mount brakes. Through-out their history most were out fitted with the high-mount brakes. in 1968, the Rio Grande along with Union Pacific began serving the Ksiser Steel with a joint D&RGW/UP coal train. Six of the Rio Grande unites received UP's cab-signal system. (#5326, 5327,5328 and 5336, 5337, 5338.) In September of 1968 SD45 #5337 was the first to receive the Stacked Rio Grande logo. Not all the SD45's in the Grande's barn received the new look. The official D&RGW Historical Society DRGW SD45 Diesel Roster shows which units received the large lettering. SD45 #5315, 5322, 5326, 5327, 5328, 5329, 5331, 5333*, 5334, 5336, 5337, 5338, and 5340. The rest were retired with the small lettering, most in original paint. Most of these 3600 Horse Power units worked for the Rio Grande UP system from 1967 until they retired from 1994-1997. Numbers 5327, 5337 & 5338 were rebuilt as Southern Pacific SD40-2s 8680, 8682, and 8684 respectively in 1994 by Boise Locomotive Works. Several others were rebuilt for the CP as SD40M-2s. *SD45 5333 was wreck in Crater, Colorado on Christmas 1968. When she was rebuilt, she received the stacked Rio Grande lettering on her flanks. This was also the only SD45 to receive on the nose a Grande Gold rectangle with a Black stacked Rio Grande. All other Grande units with the large lettering received the Black rectangle with the Grande Gold stacked Rio Grande. bibliography: Rio Grande Diesels a pictoral history Vol. 2 Joseph A. Strapac Rio Grande Modeling and Historical Society web site (I'm member 1144) Hope this helps. Paul H. Liddiard
